However, there was a late swing of the pendulum before the stumps were drawn and the game abandoned at quarter past six.

For the Colliers, standing on 50-1 appeared to be in charge as they chased down Leadgate's first innings total of 153 all out.

But then losing three wickets in the space of four deliveries and within the space of four minutes - put a completely different complexion on the game which ended with the home side turning the tables to finish in the ascendancy.

Neil Wood and Scott Thornton had got the Colliers off to a good start and up with the required rate when in the 11th, the former skied McCabe with a one handed shot which ended with the ball going straight to
Dixon senior at long on, who safely held the offering.

Simon Prudhoe and Thornton continued in the same groove picking the runs off until an amazing action-packed twist.

From the fifth ball of the 16th over, right arm medium pacer Lee Murray bowled Prudhoe off stump then the bowler sent down a brute of a ball with a rising delivery to Ashington professional Mitchell Claydon. The Aussie simply had to play the ball but only edged behind where wicketkeeper Paul McCourt took a diving catch behind the stumps.

Second ball of the next over by McCabe, Thornton was also on his way after gloving another snorter of a delivery from McCabe which clipped McCourt on the shoulder before being pouched by Murray at slip.

Now Ross Sample and Greg Williams were charged with the task of consolidating the innings and after safely negotiating 17 balls, heavy rain which had fallen in close proximity to the ground in the afternoon session, finally descended to leave a match abandoned verdict a formality for the two umpires within a mere half hour. In the final statistics, McCabe took 2-22 from ten overs and Murray 2-6 from 5.1 overs.

Earlier on, Ashington had bowled the homesters all out for 153 in 44.4 overs. Claydon – only making his second start of the season – made an early impression by removing Richard Hockaday with the second ball of the second over – caught behind by wicketkeeper Daniel Grant – and then the same bowler had Paul Hockaday snapped up by Ross Sample six overs
later.

However, Leadgate fought back through the efforts of Greenwell and McCabe with a partnership of 49 for the third wicket before skipper
Paul Rutherford took the first of four successive wickets, to make the breakthrough.

He had McCabe caught at slip by Claydon then shortly after Greenwell had completed a half century which included eight boundaries, he was bowled by Rutherford for 51.

From 97-4, Johnson and Wilkinson made exits within the space of six runs – but Leadgate made a fist of things with Smith and McCourt adding 24 before the former was caught by Rutherford off Thewlis for 18.

With the addition of another 21 runs, Leadgate's demise was just around the corner. McCourt finally succumbed for 33 and the innings was polished off with a double strike by Claydon who claimed the wickets of both Dixons – bowled and lbw respectively – with successive deliveries in the 45th over.

Claydon ended with figures of 4-54 from 12.4 overs; Rutherford 4-50 from 15 and Thewlis 2-31 from ten.
Leadgate 10 points;
Ashington 10 points